Terminal device, information viewing method, information viewing method of information server system, and recording medium

ABSTRACT

The present invention enables restriction of content of information in a message, which has been prepared by a user and is provided in an information service system for the viewing by a group of users, in accordance with a use purpose. The message information is prepared by selecting and combining words from a word group prepared in advance. The information for viewing is prepared by a game device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained inJapanese Patent Application No. 2001-149769, filed on May 18, 2001, thedisclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a terminal device for readingmessage information of a user in a memory area, assigned to a specificuser, in a communication server system by a group of terminal devicesand for displaying the read message information in the terminal deviceof another user. The present invention also relates to a viewing methodof the terminal device, an information viewing method of an informationservice system, and a recording medium.

[0004] 2. Related Art

[0005] In the prior art, there is well known an information servicesystem for providing various kinds of information services to terminalsconnected therewith. A membership information service system providesinformation services, in which self-introductions of members and guidesof home pages prepared by members are entered and the above user-relatedguidance information can be viewed from terminals so as to enhance thefriendships between the members.

[0006] In the information services, when a user registers a guidemessage in advance from a terminal, the guide message to be registeredis stored in a specific storage area in the information service system.

[0007] In case the message information restricted to a specificapplication, such as an absence notification of a user, is opened toother users by using such information viewing function, there arises thefollowing drawbacks.

[0008] As the information to be viewed is prepared by a user, guideinformation other than a specific application may be prepared andentered. For only notifying an absence, for example, advertisement ofprizes or companies may be entered. In order to avoid this situation,the information services company has to confirm all pieces of enteredinformation visually. Moreover, the problem of invasion of privacy mayalso occur even if the information is viewed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide aterminal device, which can make use of the message information easilyand effectively, an information viewing method of the terminal device,an information viewing method of an information service system, and arecording medium.

[0010] In order to achieve this object, according to one embodiment ofthe invention, there is provided a terminal device for registeringmessage information of a user. The terminal device is used in aninformation service system for storing the message information in astorage area and for allowing viewing of the message information inresponse to an instruction of another user. The terminal device includesa storage system that stores multiple words, a display system thatdisplays the words stored in the storage system, and a selecting systemthat selects an arbitrary word from the displayed words. The terminaldevice further includes a user's message information processor thatprepares the message information of the user to be registered in thestorage area, by combining the selected words. The terminal devicefurther includes a message information transmitter that transmits theprepared message information to the information service system toinstruct a registration in the storage area of the information servicesystem.

[0011] In the terminal device, it is desirable that the messageinformation of the user is an absence notification.

[0012] In the terminal device, moreover, it is also desirable that thewords are displayed as being classified by their types.

[0013] In the terminal device, moreover, identification codes associatedwith meanings may be assigned to the words, and the words are displayedin a letter series mode. Also, the information processor may prepare themessage information of the user by converting the selected word into theidentification codes.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the invention, there isprovided a terminal device f or viewing message information of a user.The terminal device may be used in an information service system f orallowing viewing of the message information, which is registered in astorage area by the user, in response to instruction of another user.The terminal device includes an acquiring system that acquires, from thestorage area, the message information in an identification code seriesmode, prepared by the user, and a converting system that converts theacquired message information of the user into a character code series.The terminal device further includes a display system that displays theconverted character code series into a character mode.

[0015] In the terminal device, the information service system mayconvert the message information of the user in the identification codeseries mode registered from the terminal device, into the messageinformation of the user in the character code series mode. According toanother embodiment of the invention, there is provided, an in formationregistering method of a terminal device for registering messageinformation of a user. The method is used in an information servicesystem for storing the message information of the user in a storage areaand for allowing viewing of the message information in response to aninstruction of another user. The method includes storing a group ofwords in a storage device in the terminal device, displaying the wordsstored in the storage device, and selecting an arbitrary word from thedisplayed words. The method further includes preparing the messageinformation of the user to be registered in the storage area, bycombining the selected words, and transmitting the prepared messageinformation to the information service system to instruct a registrationin the storage area of the information service system.

[0016] In the information registering method of the terminal device, themessage information of the user may be an absence notification. In theinformation registering method of the terminal device, moreover, thewords may be displayed as being classified by their types.

[0017] In the information registering method of the terminal device,identification codes associated with meanings may be assigned to thewords. Furthermore, the words may be displayed in a character seriesmode, and the message information of the user may be prepared byconverting the selected word into the identification codes.

[0018] According to another embodiment of the invention, there isprovided an information viewing method of a terminal device for viewingmessage information of a user. The method is used in an informationservice system for allowing viewing of the message informationregistered in a storage area by the user, in response to an instructionof another user. The method includes acquiring the message informationin an identification code series mode, prepared by the user, from thestorage area. The method further includes converting the acquiredmessage information of the user into a character code series anddisplaying the converted character code series into a character mode.

[0019] In the information viewing method of the terminal device, theinformation service system may convert the message information of theuser in the identification code series mode registered from the terminaldevice into the message information of the user in the character codeseries mode.

[0020] According to another embodiment of the invention, there isprovided a recording medium on which is recorded a program executed by aterminal device for registering message information of a user. Therecording may be used in an information service system f or storing themessage information of the user in a storage area and f or allowingviewing of the message information in response to an instruction ofanother user. The program causes the terminal device to store a group ofwords in advance in a storage device in the terminal device, display thewords stored in the storage device, and select an arbitrary word fromthe displayed words. The program further causes the terminal device toprepare the message information of the user to be registered in thestorage area, by combining the selected words. The program furthercauses the terminal device to transmit the prepared message informationto the information service system to instruct a registration in thestorage area of the information service system.

[0021] In the recording medium, the message information of the user maybe an absence notification. In the recording medium, moreover, it isalso desirable that there is recorded a program that display the wordsclassified by their types.

[0022] In the recording medium, identification codes associated withmeanings may be assigned to the words, and the words may be displayed ina letter series mode. Furthermore, the message information of the usermay be prepared by converting the selected word into the identificationcodes.

[0023] According to another embodiment of the invention, moreover, thereis provided a recording medium on which is recorded a program executedby a terminal device for viewing message information of a user. Therecording medium may be used in an information service system forallowing viewing of the message information registered in a storage areaby the user, in response to an instruction of another user. The programfurther causes the terminal device to acquire the message information inan identification code series mode, prepared by the user, from thestorage area. The program further causes the terminal device to convertthe acquired message information into a character code series, anddisplay the converted character code series into a character mode.

[0024] In the recording medium, the information service system mayrecord a program for converting the message information of the user inthe identification code series mode registered from the terminal device,into the message information of the user in the character code seriesmode.

[0025] According to another embodiment of the invention, there isprovided a server for storing message information of a user in a storagearea and for allowing viewing of the message information in response toan instruction of another user. The server includes a list that stores ahandle name indicating another user who is allowed to view the messageinformation of the user. The server further includes a detector thatreceives an instruction of viewing demand of the message information ofthe user to detect the handle name of the other user contained in theinstruction. The server further includes a confirming system thatconfirms whether the detected handle name of the other user is stored inthe list. The server further includes an allowing system that allows theterminal device of the other user to view the message information of theuser when the confirming system has confirmed that the handle name ofthe other user is stored in the list.

[0026] According to another embodiment of the invention, there isprovided an information managing method for a server for storing messageinformation of a user in a storage area and for allowing viewing of themessage information in response to an instruction of another user. Themethod includes receiving an instruction of demanding viewing of themessage information of the user and detecting a handle name of anotheruser contained in the instruction indication. The method furtherincludes confirming whether the detected handle name of the other useris stored in a list that stores handle names indicating users who areallowed to view the message information of the user. The method furtherincludes allowing the terminal device of the other user to view themessage information of the user when it is confirmed that the handlename of the other user is stored in the list.

[0027] According to another embodiment of the invention, there isprovided a recording medium on which is recorded a program executed by aserver. The server may store message information of a user in a storagearea, and may allow viewing of the message information in response to aninstruction of another user. The program causes the server to receive aninstruction of a viewing demand of the message information and to detecta handle name of the user contained in the instruction. The programfurther causes the server to confirm whether the detected handle name isstored in a list. The list stores handle names of users who are allowedto view the message information of the user. The program further causesthe server to allow the terminal device of the other user to view themessage information of the user when it is confirmed that the handlename of the other user is stored in the list.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system construction of anembodiment of the invention;

[0029]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one example of the constructionof a game device according to an aspect of the present invention;

[0030]FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure to beexecuted by a profile server according to an aspect of the presentinvention;

[0031]FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure to beexecuted by the profile server according to an aspect of the presentinvention;

[0032]FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure to beexecuted by the game device according to an aspect of the presentinvention;

[0033]FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure to beexecuted by the game device according to an aspect of the presentinvention;

[0034]FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure to beexecuted by the game device according to an aspect of the presentinvention;

[0035]FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of thedisplay screen of the game device according to an aspect of the presentinvention; and

[0036]FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of thedisplay screen of the game device according to an aspect of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0037] An embodiment of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038]FIG. 1 shows a system construction of an information servicesystem including a message exchanging server system. In FIG. 1, theinformation service system includes a communication network 100, and aserver group 102 of Information Service Corporation. The informationservice system further includes clients (or terminal devices), e.g., 103a, 103 b, 104 a and 104 b to be used by users, which clients can beconnected with the server group 102 through the communication network100. The server group 102 and the clients 103 a, 103 b, 104 a and 104 bare individual computer systems.

[0039] Several types of servers in the server group 102 cooperativelyprovides various information services. The information service systemincludes an authentication server (group) 111, a content server (group)112, a message server (group) 113, a mail server (group) 114, a profileserver (group) 115 and a game server (group) 116. The authenticationserver 111 manages the account (or a log-in ID (identifier)) and thepassword of a user. Alternatively, the authentication server 111 maymanage the connection situation (online/offline) of the user and theaddress of the client machine of the user who is online.

[0040] The content server 112 provides various kinds of information onsports, music, comics, shopping, etc. The message server 113 transfersmessages between at least two clients. The mail server 114 provideselectronic mail exchanging services between the users.

[0041] The game server 116 provides online games. The user plays anonline game by starting it in the game server through a viewer. In casethe online game is a role playing game (in which the user plays as agame character), the user can play the role playing game with another.

[0042] The profile server 115 manages the profile (or user information)corresponding to an account (i e., the so-called “log-in ID”) for everyuser's account. The user can register through the viewer his or her ownprofile and the handle name to be used in the game and the messageexchange with the profile server 115. The profile contains theinformation indicating whether the client of the user is being connectedwith the information service system, the information service being usedin the information service system, a handle name pre-registered by theuser, etc.

[0043] The profile contains information that can be viewed only byanother specific user. In the present embodiment, this information willbe called the “message”. The user registers the message from the client.The registered message is stored in a storage area with each log-in IDof the user in a storage device in the profile server.

[0044] The user also registers the handle names of the users allowed toview the message. The list of registered handle names of the users willbe called the “friend list”. The terminal of the user registered in thefriend list is serviced with an online notification. This onlinenotification notifies, for example when a user A logs in the informationsystem, the terminal of the user on the friend list registered by theuser A, that the user A has logged in. The online notification containsthe handle name, and the terminal having received the onlinenotification displays an icon indicating the presence/absence of thelog-in and handle name of the user having logged in .

[0045] The clients 103 a and 103 b are home (video) game devices, whichcan be, for example Play Station 2 (the registered trade name) of SonyComputer Entertainment Inc. The clients 104 a and 104 b aregeneral-purpose personal computers (as will be called the “PC”). Theseclients can execute the later-described programs according to theinvention by loading them from a recording medium such as CD-ROM. Theclients 103 a, 103 b, 104 a and 104 b may be generally called just the“clients”.

[0046] The communication network 100 connects the server group 102 andthe aforementioned clients 103 a, 103 b, 104 a and 104 b and so on. Inthe present embodiment, the Internet is supposed as the communicationnetwork 100. For transmission/reception of data, there may be used theordinary protocols such as the TCP/IP (Transmission ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol), the HTTP (Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol),the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) or the FTP (File TransferProtocol).

[0047] In the present embodiment, the client is the home video gamedevice 103 a. One example of the construction of the video game deviceis shown in FIG. 2.

[0048] A video game device 103 a includes a body 2 including a maincontrol unit 11, a RAM 12, a hard disk drive (HDD) 18, a soundprocessing unit 14, a graphics processing unit 15, a CD-ROM drive 16, acommunication interface 17 and an interface unit 13. The main controlunit 11 includes a CPU and a ROM. The CPU controls the system on thebasis of a system program stored in the ROM, and executes game softwareinstalled on the hard disk by loading it on the RAM 12.

[0049] The RAM 12 temporarily stores the data to be input from andoutput to the CPU. The HDD 18 reads and writes the data to and from thehard disk. The sound processing unit 14 converts acoustic signals in adigital mode into acoustic signals in an analog mode and outputs them toa speaker 62 of an output device 6. The graphics processing unit 15stores an image to be displayed in the display screen 61 of the displayof the output device 6, and provides the image with the display.

[0050] The CD-ROM drive 16 is loaded with a CD-ROM 4 and reads out thegame software and the related data from the CD-ROM 4 The communicationinterface 17 communicates with an external device through the Internet100.

[0051] The interface unit 13 inputs various kinds of data for the gamefrom an input device (or a controller) 3, and reads and writesgame-associated data in and from a memory card 5.

[0052] The game device body 2 starts up the viewer to access to theserver group 102. A TV receiver outputs image and sound data providedfrom the game device body 2. The controller inputs an instruction of theuser to the game device body 2. The viewer is installed from the CD-ROM4 in the game device body. In the present embodiment, programs of FIG. 4to FIG. 6 are incorporated in the viewer and are executed by the CPU inthe game device body.

[0053] The schematic contents to be processed by the entire system ofFIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the invention will be described atfirst, followed by the contents to be processed by the individualdevices.

[0054] (Registration of Friend List)

[0055] For example, when a game device 103 a (referred to as “gamedevice” hereinafter) registers the friend list, a friend listregistration menu on the display screen 61 of the display is selected,and the handle name of the user desired to be registered is input byusing the input device 3.

[0056] Next, the user operates a registration instruction button. Then,data associated with the log-in ID of the user and the friend list aretransmitted from the game device to the profile server 115. The profileserver 115 registers the received data associated with the friend list,then the handle name to be registered, in an internal dedicated storagearea.

[0057] (Registration of Message)

[0058] The user prepares a message on the display screen. In the presentembodiment, there are in advance prepared usable words f or individualset items such as “when”, “who” or “what”, so that the user prepares themessage f or notifying the absence by selecting from the usable wordgroup displayed on the display screen 61.

[0059] By adopting this information processing method, the words, whichthe user can use, are restricted so that a message other than a specificapplication, e.g., the absence notification, cannot be prepared. Theprepared absence notification and the log-in ID are sent from the gamedevice to the profile server 115 in response to the instruction ofregistration from the user and are registered in the message storagearea of the user.

[0060] (Viewing of Message)

[0061] In case the user wants to view a message of another, he or sheinstructs the game device to view the message. There are prepared twokinds of viewing modes. In the first viewing mode, there is displayed alist of the handle names which are registered in the friend list. Whenthe user designates a specific handle name, the message of thedesignated handle name is provided by the profile server and isdisplayed in the game device. In the second viewing mode, when the userinputs a specific handle name, the profile server 115 retrieves themessage corresponding to the handle name from the message group toprovide the retrieved message. The provided message is displayed on thegame device.

[0062] (Contents Processed by Profile Server 115)

[0063] Here will be described the contents to be processed by theprofile server 115 with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 3 and FIG.4 show a processing routine of the profile server 115. The processingroutine is installed on the storage device as a program, and is executedby the CPU in the profile server 115.

[0064] In FIG. 3, it is decided at Step S10 whether an instruction ofregistration of a friend list has been received from the game device. Ifthe profile server 115 receives the instruction of registration of thefriend list from the game device, the routine advances from Step S10 toStep S15. At Step S15, the friend list received in response to theregistration instruction, i.e., the handle names of the user who areallowed to view the message registered by the user and the informationintroducing the user, is registered in the memory area (on the harddisk) assigned to the user.

[0065] At Step S20, it is decided whether the instruction ofregistration of the message has been received from the game device. Whenthe profile server 115 receives the registration instruction of themessage from the game device, the routine advances to Steps S10→S20→S25,so that the message received in response to the registration instructionis registered in the storage area (on the hard disk) assigned to theuser.

[0066] At Step S30, it is decided whether an instruction to view themessage has been received from the game device. With the viewinginstruction of the message from the game device, the routine advances toSteps S10→S20→S30→S35 so that the profile server 115 provides theaccessed game device with the message stored in the specific storagearea of the user. More specifically, the profile server 115 decideswhether the handle name of the user transmitted in response to theviewing instruction has been registered in the friend list of the userhaving registered the message. If this answer is YES, the profile serverprovides the message. If the answer is NO, a message denying the viewingis transmitted to the game device. The message viewed in two differentviewing modes. In the first viewing mode, the viewing is made from thehandle name list, In the second viewing mode, the viewing is made withthe handle name. In the instructed mode, the profile server 115retrieves the message and provides it for the game device. This routinewill be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4.

[0067] At Step S40, the profile server 115 executes operations otherthan the aforementioned ones.

[0068]FIG. 4 shows the message retrieval in the viewing processing ofStep S35 of FIG. 3, in detail.

[0069] In FIG. 4, the profile server 115 identifies the type of viewinginstruction received, and decides (at Step S100) whether the viewing isin the first mode or in the second mode. If the first viewing mode isinstructed, the profile server 115 retrieves the friend list of allusers, using the handle name received along with the viewing instructionas a query (or the so-called “keyword”). The profile server 115,thereby, acquires the friend list describing the handle name of theviewer and the handle name of the registrant of the friend list. Thehandle name thus acquired is sent to the game device having instructedthe viewing (at Step S130).

[0070] In the game device, there is displayed the list of the handlenames sent from the profile server 115, so that the viewing user selectsa desired handle name (at Step S140). In response to this selection, thehandle name selected from the game device is transmitted to the profileserver 115. This profile server 115 reads the message corresponding tothe transmitted handle name, from the hard disk and provides it for thegame device (at Step S150). The message provided is displayed on thegame device.

[0071] If it is decided at Step S100 that the second viewing mode isinstructed, on the other hand, the profile server 115 advances theroutine to Step S110. At Step S110, the profile server 115 accepts, fromthe game device, the handle name of the user desiring to view themessage. Next, the profile server 115 reads out the messagecorresponding to the accepted handle name, and provides the game devicewith the read-out message (at Step S120). The provided message isdisplayed on the game device.

[0072] (Contents Processed by Gam e Device)

[0073] The contents to be processed on the game device are shown in FIG.5 to FIG. 7. FIG. 5 shows a main processing routine by the game device.FIG. 6 shows a processing routine for preparing the message. FIG. 7shows a processing routine for displaying the message of another user.These processing routines are installed in the hard disk as programs andare executed by the CPU of the main control unit 11.

[0074] In FIG. 5, decisions at Steps S200, S210, S220 and S230discriminate the kind of the operation instruction which has been inputthrough the input device 3 (as referred to in FIG. 2) by the user. AtStep S200, it is decided whether an instruction for registration of thefriend list has been input. At Step S210, it is decided whether aninstruction for preparation of the message has been input at Step S220.At Step S230, it is decided whether an instruction for viewing of themessage has been inputted. At Step S240, it is decided whether anoperation instruction other than the aforementioned instructions hasbeen input.

[0075] When the registration instruction of the friend list is input,the routine advances to Steps S200→S201, at which a screen forregistering the friend list is displayed on the display. The user inputsa user's handle name, which the user wants to register, in the screenfor the friend list. The handle name, input through the input device 3,is transmitted from the game device, and is registered in the profileserver 115 (at Step S202).

[0076] When the preparation of the message is instructed by the user,the routine advances to Steps S200 to S210→S215. At Step 215, themessage is prepared and stored in the hard disk. The routine forpreparing the message will be described in detail with reference to FIG.6.

[0077] When an instruction for registering of the message is input, theroutine advances to Steps S200→S210→S220→S225. In these steps, themessage prepared in advance is transmitted along with an instruction forregistering the prepared message in the server. When the viewinginstruction of the message is input, the routine advances to StepsS200→S210→S220→S230→S235. At Step S235, the viewing of the message isexecuted. This viewing of the message will be described in detail withreference to FIG. 7.

[0078] Other operation instructions are discriminated at Step S240, andthe operations corresponding to the instructions are executed.

[0079] Prior to the description of the contents for processing themessage, a screen for preparing the message will be described.

[0080]FIG. 8 shows a window screen, which is displayed when the messagepreparing menu on the display screen 61 is selected by the user. In FIG.8, a numeral 1000 indicates a message editing screen. Numeral 1001indicates the words for messages being set currently, and their kinds(or set items). When the cursor of a pointing device is positioned atthe indication 1001 of a set item, there is displayed a pop-up menu forselecting a desired candidate from multiple selection candidates 1011,as indicated in FIG. 9. The user is enabled to display the selectioncandidates in the pop-up menu 1010 sequentially by moving the scroll bar1004. When the user designates a desired selection candidate andoperates a return button 1012, the indication of the word of the setitem of FIG. 8 is replaced by the word of the selected candidate.

[0081] Thus, the user decides the words of each set item and operates adecision button 1002. In response to the operation of the decisionbutton 1002, the game device combines multiple set words to prepare themessage. Numeral 1003 indicates a cancel button for instructing thereturn of the changed words to an initial default to end the messagepreparation. Numeral 1004 indicates a scroll bar for scrolling theindication 1001 of the words and the set items.

[0082] On the basis of these points, here will be described the contentsof the message preparing routine of the game device.

[0083] When the user selects the message preparing menu, there isstarted the processing routine of FIG. 6. The CPU stores the RAM 12temporarily with the displaying data stored in the hard disk, and usesthe data to display the message editing screen 1000, as shown in FIG. 8,in the display screen 61 (at Step S300). When it is detected at StepS310 that the indication 1001 of the set items and the words isdesignated by the pointing device (or the input device 3), the displaydata stored in the hard disk are used by the CPU to display the pop-upmenu 1010 of FIG. 9 (at Step S320).

[0084] When the word selected in the pop-up menu 1010 by the user isreceived, the selected word is replaced by the word of the correspondingkind on RAM 12 (at Step S330) in response to the operation of the returnbutton 1012. The word to be stored in the RAM 12 is not character codesbut identification codes indicating the meaning of the word. In thepresent embodiment, considering that the information service system isused in many countries, a common identification code is assigned to aword belonging to different countries but having an identical meaningeven if its notations are different, and the character codes indicatingthe word and the word dictionary describing the identification codes arestored in the hard disk. The word, selected with reference to that worddictionary, is converted into the identification codes and stored in theRAM 12.

[0085] Subsequently, the CPU returns the display of the display screen61 from FIG. 9 to FIG. 8. When a scroll bar 1013 is operated while thedisplay of FIG. 9 is being made, the display is scrolled.

[0086] When one word is selected at Step S330, it is then decided (atStep S340) whether the decision button 1002 has been operated, and it isdecided (at Step S345) whether the cancel button 1003 has been operated.When none of these buttons is operated, the routine returns to StepsS340→S345→Step S300, and the selection of another word of the user isawaited. When the user executes the operation to select another word,this word selected at Steps S300 to S340 is temporarily stored in theRAM 12.

[0087] When the user operates the cancel button 1003, the operation isdetected at Step S345 so that the processing routine of FIG. 6 advancesfrom Step S345 to END. Therefore, the message data stored in the harddisk, i.e., the word group thus far set is not changed.

[0088] When the user operates the decision button 1002, on the otherhand, the operation is detected at Step S340 so that the routinetransfers to Step S350. Here, one or more words, which are stored in theRAM 12 and newly selected by the user, and the word, which is not newlyselected by the user and left at the previous setting, are combined toprepare the message. Here, the word group on the RAM 12 is held as newset data in the hard disk. The message prepared is transmitted, when anautomatic response is instructed, in the mode of an identification codeseries to the profile server 115 (at Step S350) As a modification ofthis routine, an automatic response message prepared may be transmittedat a timing of the operation of the decision button 1002 to the profileserver 115.

[0089] Here will be introduced a specific preparation of the message. Asa group of set items 1001 of FIG. 8, for example, there are prepared“what time?”, “conjunction?”, “who?”, “what doing?” and “the lastword?”.

[0090] As sub set items of “what time?”, there are prepared “month”,“date”, “o'clock” and “minute”. In the sub set items of “month”, thereare prepared “1. no set” and “2. 1 to 12”. Selection candidates areindividually prepared for “date”, “o'clock” and “minute”.

[0091] In the set item of “conjunction?”, there are prepared selectioncandidates of “1. not set”, “2. from”, “3. to”, “4. from around” and “5.to around”.

[0092] In the set item of “who?”, there are prepared selectioncandidates of “1. no set”, “2. I”, “3. with family”, “4. all together”and “5. with friends”.

[0093] In the set item of “what doing”, there are prepared selectioncandidates of “1. left seat”, “2. absent”, “3. reading comics”, “4.writing mails”, “5. chatting”, “6. playing a game” and “7. traveling”.

[0094] In the set item of “the last word?”, there are prepared selectioncandidates of “1. no set”, “2. wait a minute”, “3. next time”, “4.message can't be replied to soon”, “5. contact by mobile telephone”, “6.contact to home” and “7. send mail”.

[0095] When the user selects a desired one of the selection candidatesfrom a first set item, he changes the set items sequentially to selectthe desired selection candidate.

[0096] After these operations, for example, there are prepared themessage such as “august, 31”, “23 o'clock”, “10 minutes”, “around”, “I”,“left seat” and “wait a minute”.

[0097] The selection candidates displayed on the display screen are inthe mode of characters, but the message prepared on the RAM 12 is in theidentification codes assigned to the selection candidates. The gamedevice has the word dictionary describing the identification codes andtheir character code series. When the message of another user on theprofile server 115 is to be viewed, therefore, the game device uses theword dictionary to make a display by converting the identification codesinto the character code series.

[0098] When a user wants to view the message of another, the viewing ofthe message is instructed on the di splay screen 61. In response to thisinstruction, the processing routine of FIG. 7 is started in the gamedevice. The user inputs the viewing mode through the input device 3 (atStep S400).

[0099] At Step S410, it is decided whether the input mode is the firstviewing mode (in which the handle name is selected from the list ofhandle names) or the second viewing mode (in which the message isretrieved on the basis of a specific handle name).

[0100] In case the first viewing mode is instructed, the game deviceinstructs the first viewing mode to the profile server 115 (at StepS410→S411). The game device receives and di splays the viewing list sentfrom the profile server 115, that is, the list of handle names of theusers who allowed the handle name of the user having instructed theviewing to view the message (at Step S412).

[0101] When the user selects the desired handle name from the displayedviewing list, the game device transmits the selected handle name to theprofile server 115 (at Step S413). The profile server 115 transmits themessage corresponding to the selected handle name to the game device.

[0102] In case the second viewing mode is instructed, on the other hand,the routine advances from Step S410 to Step S420. At this Step, the userinputs the desired handle name through the input device 3. The inputhandle name and the instruction of the second viewing mode are sent tothe profile server 115 (Step S430). The profile server 115 transmits themessage corresponding to the handle name to the game device.

[0103] The game device receives the message, which has been received inthe processing routine corresponding to the first viewing mode or thesecond viewing mode, and displays it on the display. The message storedin the profile server 115 is in the mode of the identification codeseries, as described above, so that the identification code series isconverted on the basis of the word dictionary to character code seriesand is displayed (at Steps S440→S450).

[0104] In case the message registered by a Japanese user is read by anAmerican user, for example, the identification code series is convertedinto an English word series and displayed.

[0105] In addition to the embodiment thus far described, the presentinvention can be practiced in the following modes.

[0106] In the aforementioned embodiment, the game device for receivingthe message converts the message of the identification code series modeinto the message of the character code series mode. However, thisconversion may be executed by the profile server 115. In thismodification, the message registrant may designate the desired message'slanguage and may notify it to the profile server 115 through the gamedevice. The profile server may store the message of the character codemode, after converted from the message of the identification code mode,and provide it for the viewing of another user, or may convert themessage into character codes when provided for the viewing of anotheruser.

[0107] The foregoing embodiment has been described on the operations bytaking the dedicated game device as an example. As this game device, thepresent invention can be applied to all electronic devices such asgeneral-purpose personal computers or mobile telephones having thecommunicating function, the displaying function and the informationprocessing function.

[0108] The communication server system for the message exchanges may beone computer or multiple computers.

[0109] In the foregoing embodiment, the programs to be executed arestored in the CD-ROM as one example of the recording medium, but may bestored in other recording media such as a DVD-ROM or a ROM card, whichcan be read by a computer.

[0110] The invention could be modified in various manners in addition tothe embodiment thus far described, and the modifications are containedin the technical range of the invention so long as they are based on thetechnical concept defined by claims.

[0111] According to the present invention, as has been describedhereinbefore, the user cannot use any word other than the words preparedin advance. In the prepared information, therefore, it is impossible toprepare information for slandering or scandalizing others or to prepareinformation for advertising thereby to provide the information viewingfor a specific application such as the message. By classifyinginformation, moreover, the user can reduce the endeavor for looking fora desired word from the pieces of information.

[0112] By converting the prepared information into the mode ofidentification codes and by converting the identification codes intocharacter codes of the language used by the user for displaying theinformation, according to the present invention, the information can betransmitted between the users using different languages.

What is claimed is:
 1. A terminal device for registering messageinformation of a user, used in an information service system for storingthe message information in a storage area and for allowing a viewing ofthe message information in response to an instruction of another user,the terminal device comprising: a storage system that stores a pluralityof words; a display system that displays the words stored in the storagesystem; a selecting system that selects an arbitrary word from thedisplayed words; a user's message information processor that preparesthe message information of the user to be registered in the storagearea, by combining the selected words; and a message informationtransmitter that transmits the prepared message information to theinformation service system to instruct a registration in the storagearea of the information service system.
 2. The terminal device accordingto claim 1, wherein the message information of the user comprises anabsence notification.
 3. The terminal device according to claim 1,wherein the words are displayed as being classified by their types. 4.The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein identification codesassociated with meanings are assigned to the words, wherein the wordsare displayed in a letter series mode, and wherein the informationprocessor prepares the message information of the user by converting theselected word into the identification codes.
 5. A terminal device forviewing message information of a user, used in an information servicesystem for allowing viewing of the message information which isregistered in a storage area by the user, in response to an instructionof another user, the terminal device comprising: an acquiring systemthat acquires, from the storage area, the message information in anidentification code series mode, prepared by the user; a convertingsystem that converts the acquired message information into a charactercode series; and a display system that displays the converted charactercode series into a character mode.
 6. The terminal device according toclaim 5, wherein the information service system converts the messageinformation of the user in the identification code series moderegistered from the terminal device, into the message information of theuser in the character code series mode.
 7. An information registeringmethod of a terminal device for registering message information of auser, used in an information service system for storing the messageinformation of the user in a storage area and for allowing viewing ofthe message information on in response to an instruction of anotheruser, the method comprising: storing a plurality of words in a storagedevice in the terminal device; displaying the words stored in thestorage device; selecting an arbitrary word from the displayed words;preparing the message information of the user to be registered in thestorage area, by combining the selected words; and transmitting theprepared message information to the information service system toinstruct a registration in the storage area of the information servicesystem.
 8. The information registering method of the terminal deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein the message information of the usercomprises an absence notification.
 9. The information registering methodof the terminal device according to claim 7, wherein the words aredisplayed classified by their types.
 10. The information registeringmethod of the terminal device according to claim 7, whereinidentification codes associated with meanings are assigned to the words,wherein the words are displayed in a letter series mode, and wherein themessage information of the user is prepared by converting the selectedword into the identification codes.
 11. An information viewing method ofa terminal device for viewing message information of a user, in aninformation service system for allowing a viewing of the messageinformation which is registered in a storage area by the user, inresponse to an instruction of another user, the method comprising:acquiring the message information in an identification code series mode,prepared by the user, from the storage area; converting the acquiredmessage information into a character code series; and displaying theconverted character code series into a character mode.
 12. Theinformation viewing method of the terminal device according to claim 11,wherein the information service system converts the message informationof the user in the identification code series mode registered from theterminal device, into the message information of the user in thecharacter code series mode.
 13. A recording medium on which is recordeda program executed by a terminal device for registering messageinformation of a user, which medium is used in an information servicesystem for storing the message information of the user in a storage areaand for allowing viewing of the message information in response to aninstruction of another user, the program causing the terminal device toexecute: storing a plurality of words in advance in a storage device inthe terminal device; displaying the words stored in the storage device;selecting an arbitrary word from the displayed words; preparing themessage information of the user to be registered in the storage area, bycombining the selected words; and transmitting the prepared messageinformation to the information service system to instruct a registrationin the. storage area of the information service system.
 14. Therecording medium according to claim 13, wherein the message informationof the user comprises an absence notification.
 15. The recording mediumaccording to claim 13, wherein the words are displayed as beingclassified by their types.
 16. The recording medium according to claim13, wherein identification codes associated meanings are assigned to thewords, wherein the words are displayed in a character series mode, andwherein the message information of the user is prepared by convertingthe selected word into the identification codes.
 17. A recording mediumon which is recorded a program executed by a terminal device for viewingmessage information of a user, used in an information service system forallowing viewing of the message information which is registered in astorage area by the user, in response to an instruction of another user,the program further causing the terminal device to execute: acquiringthe message information in an identification code series mode, preparedby the user, from the storage area; converting the acquired messageinformation into a character code series; and displaying the convertedcharacter code series into a character mode.
 18. The recording mediumaccording to claim 17, wherein the information service system hasrecorded programs for converting the message information of the user inthe identification code series mode registered from the terminal device,into the message information of the user in the character code seriesmode.
 19. A server for storing message information of a user in astorage area and for allowing viewing of the message information inresponse to an instruction of another user, comprising: a list storing ahandle name indicating the other user who is allowed to view the messageinformation of the user; a detector that receives an instruction for aviewing demand of the message information of the user to detect thehandle name of the another user contained in the instruction; aconfirming system that confirms whether the detected handle name of theother user is stored in the list; and an allowing system that allows theterminal device of the other user to view the message information of theuser when the confirming system confirms that the handle name of theother user is stored in the list.
 20. An information managing method fora server for storing message information of a user in a storage area andfor allowing viewing of the message information in response to aninstruction of another user, comprising: receiving an instruction for aviewing demand of the message information of the user; detecting ahandle name of the other user contained in the instruction indication inresponse to receiving the instruction; confirming whether the detectedhandle name of the other user is stored in a list storing handle namesof users who are allowed to view the message information; and allowingthe terminal device of the other user to view the message information ofthe user when it is confirmed that the handle name of the other user isstored in the list.
 21. A recording medium on which is recorded aprogram executed by a server for storing message information of a userin a storage area and for allowing viewing of the message information inresponse to an instruction of another user, the program causing theserver to execute: receiving an instruction of a viewing demand of themessage information to detect a handle name of the other user containedin the instruction; confirming whether the detected handle name of theother user is stored in a list that stores handle names of users who areallowed to view the message information; and allowing the terminaldevice of the other user to view the message information when it isconfirmed that the handle name of the other user is stored in the list.